In this blog we are going to discuss a few topics that are missed by even the best and brightest of candidates looking for their next great job opportunity. After working in the staffing industry for the past 11 years, I have seen just about everything which might preclude a candidate from getting the job that should have been rightfully theirs to win. With a few tweaks in the process, those success rates can change dramatically. Onto the tips!
- Insight – Research, Research, Research!
You have preparation for boilerplate questions, previous projects, your motivation to make a career move, etc., but what do you know about the company and the team you are meeting?
Use your time before the interview to research market insight on the company, backgrounds on the interview team, and any insight you can gain from your Recruitment Partner on the format of the interview and the focus of why they are hiring. Think of this as preparation for your audience. You will now have the opportunity to position yourself as a solution to these problems, or a driver of their success in new growth. You will never know all of the team’s priorities beforehand, but having a few solid talking points when topics are brought up shows you have done your leg work and you are engaged. You may even have some previous connection to the interview team in in your network or through your education.
- Understand Why They Are Hiring
Being educated in the business necessity for you to land the job, and understanding the motivation for the hiring team to fill that seat is critical. So many great candidates have not made the connection as to the pain the team is feeling by not having someone in the role they are interviewing for, and this is a major missed opportunity. By positioning yourself as this change agent who can shoulder the load and take some pressure off the existing team, you can differentiate yourself before you even start!
- The Thank You
This one has been very well documented, but is often still overlooked. Thank you messages do not need to be mailed on paper, and they do not need to be sent after phone discussions – unless that is the “meat” of the interview process. Many candidates do not realize the power of a thoughtful thank you message, which can be leveraged to expedite the feedback process so that everybody wins. This is an opportunity to address and reinforce your enthusiasm for the team, the company, and the opportunity. Pointing out things which aligned with your background and excited you are critical. Within a page you should be able to point out that you are excited about the job, why you believe you are a fit, and request feedback.
We hope that these supplemental pieces of advice help in your interviewing journey. Most of all, stay positive throughout the process and keep working to find the right match. The perfect job may be right around the corner!
